Reward

15 page paper COMPLETED!!!!! Hooray!

A focused, busy week of research and writing! (Doing all the textbook reading, finding articles, gathering other sources and reading them, and typing the entire paper--all within 2 weeks--really pushed me to a thin point where I nearly cracked.) It has been a looooong, exhausting week. While I desperately needed a break during the week, I pushed through....and this is my reward for being diligent!

I treat myself to a little crafting.

sigh.

The bliss of a relaxing project as a reward.

Making a rag quilt for Gwen's toddler bed (she's not in one yet, this is just preparatory)

What is your preferred reward for hard work?

Image Eye Candy

(made from heron feathers)

Amazing, don't you think? I first saw this artist's work when I was a Senior in HS and was struck by it then. Completely constructed using natural materials (often thorns, twigs, or ice as "glue"), native to whatever site, temporary and yet unforgettable. Just a sampling of Andy Goldworthy. If you like what you see, check out Jim Denevan, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, or google Earthworks or Land art. Eye candy, don't you agree? (I have to remind myself I'm supposed to be searching for 'quotable' text for my current paper, not spending hours devouring the amazing imagery!)

Old post: Christmas Trains

I know, I know. Christmas was last month. This is 2011. But I wanted to share these pics of Gwen and her best pal, Shane, at the library train exhibit.

She LOVED it! Notice how she is clutching her lil blue train (I think it is a cheapo happy meal toy that some friends gave us) which she calls "Thomas". Since we are unprepared to purchase a real Thomas, we don't correct her. :)

The exhibit had a Thomas and a Percy, as well as regular ole trains, bridges, village, and even a castle. Very cool. She was thrilled! :)

Mommy Play?

Endearing, truly. Gwen loves to play... especially with me.

"Mommy color?"

"Mommy play blocks?"

"Mommy play fairies?"

"Mommy play ponies?"

"Mommy play princesses?"

"Mommy come in dare? Sit right dare? Mommy play?"

and probably my 'favorite': "Mommy Belle?" (Meaning she wants me to wear the Belle dress since she is wearing the Cinderella dress)

Even when a friend is over-- I have to be playing too, not just observing.

I love it, I really do.

Except sometimes I do wonder when she'll be content to play on her own... because there is only so much sitting Indian style on the ground playing fairy tree house or changing princess dresses that I can take.... And usually 3 hours exceeds that.

oh, btw, thank you for all of your comments about my classes. I'm taking both and am in the swing of it. 1 assignment turned in this week and already graded, another one in the works, and only 3 more after that. Thanks for the support!

Welcome 2011...and I'm already stressing?

I am a planner. I spent Christmas vacation reading textbooks for this coming trimester so I can have a head start and finish early. Last night I got online to see if the professors for my 2 classes this trimester have posted welcome letters and schedules. They have. And both also added required reading that WASN'T on the syllabi from last semester. That is perfectly within their rights, since classes don't start until the 8th, but since I was going off of the required reading already posted to try to "GET AHEAD" and complete all the course work early-- i.e. BEFORE baby comes in early April-- having those extra reading assignments kinda stresses me out.

So I did what I do best and got out my calendar and scheduled out what I have to read every night to complete the coursework a month ahead of time... and something about having all those books and articles glaring at me from my planner for the next 3 months just stressed me out even further rather than becoming a comfort. If I drop a class, I can't take it again until next year. That will set me behind in my graduation goal and mean I'll still be in school when we add a third child-- which could push graduation back an entire year if I have to take off more for first trimester woes. So I can either take both classes now and be kind of overwhelmed for the next 3 months while in my third trimester and possibly have to settle for B's instead of A's, or I can push my entire graduation back a whole year and be juggling larger family responsibilities (i.e. another child) with writing and defending a Thesis. Ugh.

What would YOU do?